


Telephone

by exolunaticshipper



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Baekhyun's a worrier, Chanyeol is a lovely boyf, Fluff, M/M, Romance, This is meant to be a take on conventional LD fics, a lil comedy, anxious baek, calm yeol, long distance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:02:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exolunaticshipper/pseuds/exolunaticshipper
Summary: Baekhyun and Chanyeol have been together for 2 years. But they've never done long distance.They promise to make it work.Only, they realise they can't keep all their promises.'"I'll call at 12? That should be the perfect time for both of us?" Baekhyun chirps and Chanyeol nods before realising the other can't see him."Yeah- that's great Baek. Actually look, I'll be honest, I got invited out by my dorm buddies. So, maybe rain check on the call?"Baekhyun slumps, "Yeah of course, Yeol- you go have fun"This was like every romance novel or every 'does long distance work?' article he had ever read. Except this was real life- his life.'
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Oh Sehun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62





	Telephone

Kissing Chanyeol at the airport before he left to board his plane was as cliche as all the stories Baekhyun spent his time reading. They had been together for 2 years now- faced as many of highs and lows a couple could, argued about pointless things like washing the dishes (it 100% Baekhyun's fault, but he was not owning up to it) or more important things like the time Chanyeol accidentally flirted with his English teacher to bump up his grade so he'd pass the class.

But they'd gotten through that- Baekhyun knew that they would. Long distance on the other hand was so much more different. It wasnt even in the same country, so the time would be different, the clocks would never sync up, Chanyeol would make a million new friends, they would never have time for each other- and then they would fizzle out. All the love and affection they had in the past two years would die in a matter of months.

He was being brave though, he would push through this- maybe none of that would happen. Maybe Chanyeol would be glued to his phone and message him every day, maybe he would fly out to see him every now and then, maybe Baekhyun would be okay too.

Baekhyun's phone jingled softly to notify him of a new message;

From: Sarangyeol

I'm just boarding now. I'll let you know when I get there. I love you :)

Baekhyun blushed softly and bit back a smile; what was he worrying about? Of course, Chanyeol loved him more than a million friends and more than a new city. They could do this.

To: Sarangyeol

I love you too babe, safe travels <3 

_______________________________________________________________________

He warned himself that it was the beginning of the end. And honestly it was, the first blow came only 2 weeks after Chanyeol had been in America. They were on their routine Wednesday call, everything had been going smoothly, until;

"I'll call at 12? That should be the perfect time for both of us?" Baekhyun chirps and Chanyeol nods before realising the other can't see him.

"Yeah- that's great Baek. Actually look, I'll be honest, I got invited out by my dorm buddies. So, maybe raincheck on the call?"

Baekhyun slumps, "Yeah of course, Yeol- you go have fun" 

This was like every romance novel or every 'does long distance work?' article he had ever read. Except this was real life- his life.

He hears Chanyeol fumble around in the background and sigh "Baekhyun don't do this"

"Do what?" The other grouches, pout on his face and sounding out in his voice;

"Tell me that it's okay when you actually want to rip my head off" Chanyeol chuckles and Baekhyun winces at the accuracy "What? You don't think I know how your tone changes when you're upset about something, Baek?"

He can hear the smirk in Chanyeol's voice at calling him out and he sighs frustratedly;

"Okay, fine- I'm not happy that you're blowing me off to hang out with your dorm buddies- they get to see you all the time, I get you one skype call a week, Chanyeol" Baekhyun argues, feeling ever the petutlant child, arms crossing across his chest as he pins his phone between his ear and his shoulder. "It's not fair"

"Wow, okay" Chanyeol's voice is still full of amusement "Firstly, I really wish I was blowing you right now, just to hear all those wonderful noises you make-" He could feel Baekhyun's blush at his words through the phone "Secondly, it's Fresher's week Baekhyun, I'm just getting to know everyone. I promise, I'll call you the day after is that okay?"

Baekhyun finally agrees, voice soft "Yeah of course it, I'm sorry" he whispers "I just... I miss you already y'know? And I know it's only two weeks, and I know I shouldn't be needy and I should be okay by myself, but you've been here with me for two years and I, I'm just so used to seeing you and not seeing you is killing-" Baekhyun's voice wobbles and Chanyeol sighs once more;

"I..." He starts and then drops any annoyance, he loves the petite pink haired boy on the other end, more than he could ever put into coherent sentences, he doesnt want him to feel like this "It's okay. I miss you too y'know. But we'll see each other soon, and it'll be fine" He's never been great with words, or expressing how he feels, he's always been better at showing. But he can't show Baekhyun because they're on the phone- a million miles apart.

Ruffling his hair in frustration, Chanyeol plops down on the edge of his dorm bed and tries to convey how much he really wants to say in his next words; "I love you Baek, really, so please don't worry"

"I know, I love you too"

____________________________________________________________

A month later Baekhyun was walking through campus.

Jongdae, for lack of a better word, was a nuisance. He was an amazing architect and an even better photographer, but he was a social media addict and a down right nuisance in Baekhyun's life. Aka his best friend (after Chanyeol).

"Aww" The sharp cheek-boned boy smiled "Are you missing your little boyfie?"

Baekhyun smacked his arm "Knock it off Jongdae, I'm getting Chanyeol to kick your ass when he's back. And yes, of course I am- like crazy." He stops "I wonder if he's even thinking about me, he didn't message me good morning or good night yesterday. I just assumed he was busy- but I don't want to message him too much and annoy him either"

Jongdae just looks at him like he's grown a third head "This is Chanyeol, Baek. The love of your life. You're worried about messaging him now? You two have never been worried about anything. You guys weren't even worried when his mom nearly walked in on you getting your brains fucked out last summer!"

Baekhyun shoves Jongdae at that and turns crimson "We never speak of that!" But his sharp eyed friend had a point, he'd never been nervous about messaging Chanyeol before or bothering him in the slightest, why was he panicking to do it now?

"Baekhyun," Jongdae was serious, mirthful expression dropping at his friend's sullen expression "Don't make this more dramatic than it is. Just message him, tell him how you're feeling. You know he'd be there to help in seconds"

Baekhyun nods and pulls out his phone;

To: Sarangyeol 

Hey babe. Just wondering how you are, thinking about you lots! 

Sent; 08:14

He waits a few minutes and recieves nothing back. He's probably busy in a new place, he convinces himself and dives back into conversation with Jongdae and Xiumin who had joined them for their morning coffee before lectures. He promises he wont check his phone, partially out of anger that the other is so caught up in his new life to actually respond, and partially because he doesn't want the hurt of a blank message screen.

He manages to make it from 9AM to 6PM purely clinging to Jongdae. His phone hasnt made a sound all day and Baekhyun feels beyond upset at the thought that Chanyeol had already forgotten about their routine, their messages- their way of communicating after only a month and a half. Did he mean that little to the taller?

When he gets into his apartment, he chucks his phone on the night stand, refusing to even glance at it. He would deal with Park Chanyeol in the morning, first he wanted to get a bubble bath and drown his sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol and pass out on his couch.

He gets to undoing his belt buckle when curiousity, the same one that had been edging him to check his phone all day, got the better of him. He hastily flicked the button on his phone that caused his screen to light back and held back a sound of mortification.

No.

He hadn't.

He had left his phone on silence mode. There were 6 messages and 2 missed calls , a third facetime notification and a voicemail- all from Chanyeol.

Jesus fuck. Baekhyun's heart flipped in his chest soaring to new heights at the thought that Chanyeol hadn't forgotten about him and had been messaging him all day, before plummetting when he realised, he had been the one ignoring the other and refusing to reply.

From: Sarangyeol

Hey baby, I'm thinking about you too. Just heading to my lectures, I can't wait for our call later.

Recieved; 08:21

From: Sarangyeol

I'm out of lectures now, are you still okay to call tonight? I'm free just for you ;)

Recieved; 17:32

From: Sarangyeol

Hey babe, not heard from you all day. How was your day? I hope you're okay- I love you.

Recieved; 18:17

From: Sarangyeol

I'l be ready to call in 5 mins, just heating up some ramen. God, I can't wait to see your hair again.

Recieved; 20:56

From: Sarangyeol

Hey Baek? Are you running late? Maybe we can call later? I don't mind staying up :)

Recieved; 21:37

From: Sarangyeol

Goodnight. love you.

Recieved; 01:08

Fingers numb, Baekhyun clicked the voicemail message and Chanyeol's tired voice sounded from the speakers, his usually jovial tone lacked any emphasis;

"Hey, just wanted to say I'm off to bed now. I hope I haven't upset you or anything today, that wasn't my intention- and if it's something I did I'll try not to. I miss you. And I love you. Really hope you're just busy and not out with a new boyfriend already-" Baekhyun pushes back tears at Chanyeol's attempt to lighten the mood "Haha, I'll kill him. Joking. But not really. Anyway, erm... I hope you've had a good day. I'll try and catch you tomorrow"

Baekhyun feels guilt creep up his spine, like a horribly attached spider, his fingers sift through his contacts, dialling before he can stop himself;

"... hello? Baek?" Chanyeol's voice sounds tired, groggy and Baekhyun imagines his thick brown hair ruffled in different directions as he hears him sit up "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Baekhyun manages holding back a sniffle "I'm sorry Yeol, I'm sorry I messed up- I'm such an idiot- I'm such an idiot, I didn't thi-"

"Baek." Chanyeol's voice is flat and it scares the smaller into silence "Calm down babe. What happened?"

"I'm an idiot" Baekhyun whispered, letting his tears fall freely at his stupidity "I... I thought you were ignoring me after I messaged you this morning. I got so caught up in being angry I forgot we were meant to call. And I only realised I put my phone on silent mode and I'm so stupid, please forgive me."

Chanyeol sighs on the other end "It's okay Baek, I'm not mad. I was... I was worried about you"

Baekhyun gulps, feeling horrible at making his love feel like this "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He manages "I just... It feels so different without you here. With me. I know it's just anxiety and that everything is still so new with you being so far away. I don't want you to forget about me. I... this is hard."

"I know" Chanyeol's flat tone softens completely "But when you feel like that, you need to talk to me Baekhyun- the same way you would if I was right there. I'll always be here for you. This isn't some story- I havent been in a relationship with you for 2 years to let it slip down the drain because you're afraid of what I might possibly be thinking. I'm here for you- I love you. I'm not good with my words, I know I'm not but being this far away from you is making me want to try, really"

Baekhyun spends the next two hours talking to Chanyeol, telling him about his worries, about how stressed out he's been- about how his course is going- about the stupid things that have happened and Chanyeol happily laughs with him and consoles him, even though it's impossibly early for him to be up.

"Do you have lectures tomorrow?" Chanyeol startes, voice suddenly even sweeter "Just out of curiousity?"

"Erm... yeah? Just until 4, and then I'll be back? Do... I know I messed up today, so if you don't want to I understand, but do you want to skype tomorrow?" Baekhyun rambles, nerves flooding his system once more and Chanyeol laughs on the other end;

"You didn't fuck up Baek, stop stressing out. I still love you, just remember that. And I was thinking we could skype instead?" There's a playful hint to his voice and Baekhyun feels too tired to question it;

"Yes of course, of course, I wont forget tomorrow" 

They laugh some more before saying goodnight.

Baekhyun only has happy dreams that night, smiling in his sleep. This part, the reassurance and love, this part hadn't been in the stories or articles he had been scouring for the past month.

This was different. And welcome.

On the skype call the next night, Chanyeol tells Baekhyun to strip down and fuck himself with his fingers on the camera, the taller's deep groans spuring him on as he jacked himself off, whispering dirty words into the mic as if he was right there in Baekhyun's ear.

Maybe, just maybe, long-distance wasn't so bad.

___________________________________________________________________

It's eight months in and Baekhyun feels more at ease. That is until Chanyeol calls him one night before a night out. And before Baekhyun sees Chanyeol's latest instagram update.

Their messages over the past few months had lessened considerably as the two had gotten busier in their respective courses, but they still called, talked and skype-sexed as often as their busy schedules would allow. It was manageable and Baekhyun found himself not as lost as he had been in the inital months. Chanyeol had made him feel completely at ease.

But call had caught him off guard;

"Hey baabee" Chanyeol slurred and it was clear he was a little over the tipsy line "How are youu?"

"Hey Yeol, I'm good. Are you drunk?" Baekhyun laughed, he was about to say more when he heard another voice shouting in the background;

"Hey, get over here Chanyeol- are you just going to leave me by myself?" The voice very clearly belong to another male, one Baekhyun hoped was just a friend, although the sentence could have been taken in anyway;

"Just a sec Hun" Chanyeol called back "Sorry Baek, gotta go- I'll call you some point this week? Love youuu" He chirped and the line went dead before Baekhyun could even reply.

But the words rang clear in his head. Chanyeol had said 'hun'. Like the term of endearment- possibly what you might say to someone you liked, or... god forbid, someone he was sleeping with?

His thoughts mulled in his head aimlessly- would Chanyeol shamelessly flaunt the fact that he was cheating like that? But there was no possible other way to tak that phrase? And the way his taller boyfriend had rushed off the phone was suspicious and it brought up a nasty streak of jealousy in the smaller male.

Frustratedly, Baekhyun ran a hand through his hair and tossed his phone on his bed. He couldn't think about this right now, he was so busy- the last thing he needed was to overthing some trivial word- maybe it was something that Chanyeol had picked up in America?

Pushing the thoughts away, Baekhyun turned back to his work, managing to get through enough for the next tutorial before flipping back to his phone. Chanyeol's instragam post was the next thing to break his heart into a million pieces;

There he was stood with a gorgeous blond male, tall like himself and slender too, but very clearly toned, unlike Baekhyun and the pudge of fat that had been growing around his tummy since his course had gotten harder. In the picture, Chanyeol had his arm around the man's shoulders, head leaning on the broad shoulder, almost nuzzling; and the caption read "Dream Team".

The other boy wasn't even tagged in the picture so Baekhyun wouldn't have been able to stalk his profile in his rage of jealousy so he settled instead for seething in his chair. How dare Park Chanyeol do this to him? Did he think this was normal?

Then the logical part of his brain spoke up; maybe they were just friends? Friends did things like that. It wasn't against any relationship rules for Chanyeol to make new friends- even Baekhyun had made some of his own. But that didn't mean he'd taken pictures like this. Or would have ever dreamt of using that caption.

If it had been the one instagram post, Baekhyun probably would have dropped it after a few days. But the posts kept coming. The blond boy popped up in group shots by Chanyeol's side, in pictures at monuments that Chanyeol had told Baekhyun he was going to see, even in his snapchat stories.

It infuriated Baekhyun that this gorgeous boy was worming his way into his sexy but clueless boyfriend's heart and probably waiting for the right opportunity to snag him away.

And Baekhyun's sour mood didn't go un-noticed by the taller the next time they called;

"Hey Baek. So what have I done this time that's wound you up?" 

"Nothing" Baekhyun snapped back "Are you sure you want to be here with me instead of your blond boy-toy?"

"Baek-"

"You know what? I don't care, go with him- actually, go fuck him for all I care. You're clearly so great together- the 'Dream team'. So why don't you go an spend time with him since that's all you seem to be doing"

"He's-"

"Look, I'm done. I'm going to the library. Bye" Baekhyun shut the phone off before Chanyeol could get a word in edge-ways. He was just too strung out- he was exhausted from university, exhausted from trying not to feel how he felt about Chanyeol being so far away- and honestly exhausted from not getting laid. There was only so much skype-sex could do, and it was nothing compared to the real thing.

It riled Baekhyun up further, that Chanyeol may have found someone he enjoyed doing the real thing with there. And was flaunting him in Baekhyun's face so blatantly.

For once, Baekhyun's logical side kept quiet.

Chanyeol tried to call 7 more times and Baekhyun rejected them all.

Chanyeol didnt try to call again. There were some things that telephone conversations just couldn't fix.

______________________________________________________

And that's how Chanyeol and Baekhyun stopped talking completely two weeks before summer break. Two weeks before Chanyeol was meant to be coming home. But he had heard nothing from their mutual friends, nothing from Chanyeol's family.

His final words to the taller echoed in his mind, had he ended things? Is that what the taller thought? He wanted to speak to Chanyeol so badly but his pride simply wouldn't allow it.

What's done was done.

But that didn't make the next two weeks any less painful. Baekhyun didn't leave his rooms, other than to sit his exams, his mind was elsewhere and he honestly couldn't care less about them.

He just wished he would hear something about Chanyeol. Just something. Anything. 

He wanted to call and say he was sorry. Apologise. Tell him he had over-acted and that he never meant any of it. He had spent the better half of the first week crying his eyes out. And not hearing from the taller male, who although was usually terrible with his words, was amazing at consoling him and making him feel better.

His rock was missing.

It was a part way through the second week when he heard the hushed whispers as he was leaving the building where most of his lectures and consequently his exams took place. Girls and guys alike were huddled around giggling and whispering, glancing in the direction of the bend in the corridor leading out.

"Oh my god, did you see him, he was so stunning?" One girl blushed openly "I've not seen him around before"

"And those eyes!" Her friend giggled along; Baekhyun was growing frustrated by all the whispered voices and pushed his way through the throng of people, agitated.

He was nearly at the front by the door leading out when someone shoved him back with their hip, causing him to stumble, tripping over his own foot before nearly faceplanting the floor.

Nearly.

A deft pair of arms caught him, and Baekhyun righted himself hastily, feeling heat crawl to his cheeks at having to be saved like a damsel.

"Never thought you'd be so clumsy, you're usually really focused" 

The deep tone of the voice caused his head to snap up from where he was fixing his jacket "C-Chanyeol?" His eyes brimmed with tears "Oh my god- you're here. You're really here"

Baekhyun tuned out the dejected sounds of his classmates and just stared openly at Chanyeol. America and the past 8 and a half months had done him well. He was slimmer, tanned and toned, arms more muscley and face more sculpted. He still had his wide eyes and big ears that were so unmistakably Chanyeol. His voice caught in his throat once more at their last conversation, the tears falling down his face.

Chanyeol reached and wiped them away "Sorry for turning up after your exam like this, but Jongdae told me you'd be here. He also said you've barely been sleeping or eating, or leaving your room. So, I know you might not want to see me and I'll leave now, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay"

He still had those plush pink lips that Baekhyun had been desperate to kiss again since he'd last been at the airport.

"No." Baekhyun croaked out, voice tight from holding back tears "No, please dont go Chanyeol- please! I never meant what I said. I, I was so angry with that guy. He was handsome and cute and I just felt so lost without you. It wasn't right and I shouldnt have ignored you. But I'm sorry- please don't leave"

He peeks up at Chanyeol's face through the tears caught on his lashes and Chanyeol is looking at him, assessing the truth. And something shifts in his expression at Baekhyun's own scared and distressed one.

A look of utter fondness takes over his features and he pulls the shorter into a hug; "God, I've missed you Baekhyun- did you know that?"

Baekhyun sniffles and sobs into Chanyeol's shoulder and the other lets him cry out the frustrations. Baekhyun had always been worse at handling his emotions, always been worse at dealing with his anxiety. Chanyeol knew he couldn't be mad when the other had been feeling neglected, even if it hadn't been his fault.

"Once you meet Hun, by the way, you wont be as mad" Chanyeol cooed to the crying mop of pink in his arms "That is, if... yknow. We're still together and you didn't end things on the telephone?"

Baekhyun looks up, wriggles enough to get his hands up to cup Chanyeol's face "You're mine. You're mine goddamit Park Chanyeol. I didn't mean done- you're stuck with me, I was just so frustrated and you kept going on about your 'hun' and you never call me hun, or even baby that often so it just made me-"

"Sehun" Chanyeol deadpanned, pulling Baekhyun away from him to look at his face, a tiny hint of amusement creeping onto his own at Baekhyun's confused expression;

"Say what? And don't call me hun now just because I said it!" Baekhyun whined, stomping his foot adorably and pouting.

"No, no, Baek.. I-" Chanyeol breaks into peels of laughter, doubling over and clutching his stomach and the smaller taps his foot impatiently as the humour flies over his head; "His name... the blond boy- Sehun, we were gym and course buddies. He was one of the other Korean boys doing the year abroad so that's why we spent so much time together. Hun was just... a nickname- like Yeol"

Baekhyun's jaw hangs open, mortification spreading through his body at his misunderstanding. Had he nearly let everything with the love of his life go over a goddamn stupid nickname?

"His nickname is Hun? And did you ever thing to say his full name Yeol, so as not to give me heart attack or make me so angry my head was going to explode?"

Chanyeol only chuckles, grabbing Baekhyun's wrists as the other tries to smack him "I knew there was some explanation to that last phone call. I just couldn't understand it" He shakes his head, and his expression softens once more "I'm glad I do now"

Baekhyun smiles himself before a thought hits him "How are you not more mad at me? I... I slammed the phone down, I yelled at you- we didn't talk for weeks? I... Oh my god, are you still mad at me?" Baekhyun bites his lip and Chanyeol smooths a hand through his hair;

"Because Baekhyun, I know you. I know that you get anxious about these things, I know how worried you were about long distance- about the calls, about the people, about losing me. And yes, I worried about those things too, but I just dealt with them differently. You're more open with how you feel and for the first time,you felt like you had to bottle it up. When we got together I promised I'd be there for the highs and the lows. And I meant it. I mean it now. So yeah, was I upset when you did that? 100%. Infact, it was Sehun who helped me talk through it and maybe see your point of view. And suddenly, even though I didn't fully understand why you reacted that way back then, I couldn't be mad. I thought I'd give you some time to cool off while I focused on my exams, convinced the teachers to let me sit them a week earlier so I could come back to see you" Chanyeol smiled sheepishly "I really did miss you too"

Baekhyun slumps against his taller other half "I missed you too. All of you. Especially these last two weeks were hell. I didn't know if I'd fucked everything up- Lord only knows how you're stood in front of me right now hugging me instead of breaking up with me because I 100% deserve it for being such an asshole. I'm sorry Chanyeol, I'll do everything I can to make it up to you. I promise"

Chanyeol wiggled his eyebrows "Oh anything? Can I get a massage?"

"Yes, you idiot" Baekhyun rolled his eyes as they headed back to their apartment;

Chanyeol gives him a pained expression "Ow, being mean already?" And then he wraps a hand around Baekhyun's waist tugging him impossibly closer "How about a massage, on my cock?"

Baekhyun chokes on his spit and sputters impossibly, reddening and flustered.

"Are you serious?!" He manages, catching his breath and turning to glare at the taller, only to be met with an impish smirk;

"Infinitely- I've not seen you in months- daddy needs his go-go-juice" Chanyeol laughed, eyes creasing in the way Baekhyun loved most and he stopped abruptly, grabbing the taller's face in his hands and squishing his cheeks together;

"If you say that again, 'Daddy' wont be getting any juice ever again" Baekhyun whispered, kissing the plump lips he missed so badly, "But... of course- I've missed you in more ways than I can count"

**Author's Note:**

> Cross posted from AFF acc: exolunaticshipper.  
> Enjoy.  
> Comment please- would love to hear what you think!   
> ~exolunaticshipper


End file.
